Expelled Labour activist in Corbyn claim

By Alan McGuinness, Political ReporterA Labour member expelled for verbally attacking an MP at the launch of a report into anti-Semitism has claimed Jeremy Corbyn "doesn't see that I did anything wrong".Marc Wadsworth accused Ruth Smeeth of "working hand-in-hand" with the Daily Telegraph at the event in 2016.Labour said Mr Wadsworth's comment was found to have breached party rules and he had therefore been kicked out by the National Constitutional Committee (NCC).Ms Smeeth, who is Jewish, said she felt "relieved" that the matter had "finally been resolved"."Abuse, bullying and intimidation have no place in our movement, as today's announcement has proven," she said."I hope that this decision represents the first step towards a return to the values of decency and respect throughout the Labour Party."

Image:MP Ruth SmeethMr Wadsworth, who said he deplored "anti-Semitism, anti-black racism, Islamophobia and all forms of prejudice, bigotry and discrimination", told Sky News the decision was a "travesty" and a "huge injustice".Speaking later at a hastily-arranged news conference in Westminster, he said: "The first letter I got, cancelling my membership summarily, was based on an alleged verbal attack on a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party which was uncomradely, brought the party into disrepute and embarrassed the leader."Well, the leader has told mutual friends he wasn't embarrassed because he doesn't see that I did anything wrong."When asked if the Labour leader and his team had supported his case, Mr Wadsworth told journalists: "When they called me on the first day of the hearing, they said to me that they had been working behind the scenes, that what I said wasn't anti-Semitic."But then you have to interpose that with the fact that Jeremy did have a bit of a go at me at the launch of the Chakrabarti report and said that perhaps I could have used kinder language."Mr Wadsworth declined to say who from Mr Corbyn's team had been in contact with him.

Image:About 30 MPs marched with Ruth Smeeth to the hearingChris Williamson, a former Labour frontbencher and close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, attended the hearing into the case as a character witness for Mr Wadsworth.Mr Williamson said he was "astonished" by the verdict, adding: "It flies in the face of the evidence that was presented and offends against the principles of natural justice."The NCC's decision has all the hallmarks of predetermination and tramples on the Labour Party's record of standing up for fairness."A party spokesman said Mr Wadsworth was found to have breached clause 2.1.8 of Labour's rule book.This states that "no member of the party shall engage in conduct which in the opinion of the NEC is prejudicial, or in any act which in the opinion of the NEC is grossly detrimental to the party".This includes actions which "might reasonably be seen to demonstrate hostility or prejudice based on age; disability; gender reassignment or identity; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual orientation".

Image:Chris Williamson slammed the decisionThe clause adds that these include incidents involving "racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or otherwise racist language, sentiments, stereotypes or actions, sexual harassment, bullying or any form of intimidation towards another person on the basis of a protected characteristic".Dozens of Ms Smeeth's Labour colleagues accompanied her to a hearing on the case earlier this week.More from LabourFormer Commons Speaker Michael Martin dies aged 72

A party spokesman said earlier this week that there are currently 90 cases of anti-Semitism being investigated, making up around 0.02% of Labour's membership of around 500,000.In the last three years a total of 300 complaints of anti-Semitism have been made, around half of which led to people being expelled from or leaving the party, they added.news.sky.com

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